My story begins in 1968, when my mother accused my father of sexually abusing my sister.  Finding no evidence, the authorities left my sisters and me at our father’s abusive hands for ten years.  Finding the courage to leave home in 1978, I informed the authorities of the abuse.  My father was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to 7 to 20 years in prison.  

My father found it difficult to protect himself from the other inmates while incarcerated, so the system released him after a short time.  In short, the authorities were not there for my sisters and me, but protected my father from abuse while incarcerated.  After his release, my father died in 1985 at the age of 47.

I tried writing the story of my life several times, but each time I tried, I would think negatively, put my pen and paper down, and walk away.  I did this for several years.  The negative words my father spoke kept me afraid of saying what I had to say.  Years passed by.  After two bad marriages, I found the man of my dreams – a Christian.  This man believed in education and when I lost my job due to a plant closure, I enrolled at  Cornerstone University.  Each class was fulfilling, and the instructors believed in me and never told me I was wrong or stupid; they encouraged me to continue to do a good job.  I found courage in their words, and with God and my husband  standing beside me and lifting me up, I graduated with honors in 2006.  After graduation, I began writing my book again.

Touching Temptation contains in detail some of the abuse I endured.  This book serves to let those who were abused, or are being abused today, know that a person can overcome abuse and accomplish their dreams.